Zone'd out!
[Overview]
<p>Magnezone certainly has the stats of a top contender, the highlight of which is its massive Special Attack stat which caps out at a whopping 200. Its Steel and Electric typing, makes it mortally weak to Earthquake and to a lesser extent Heat Wave, though Sturdy somewhat makes up for this. In light of this, you might ask yourself why Magnezone isn't used that often. The answer is simple: its movepool is woefully shallow. In fact, the extent of its coverage is its STAB and choice of Hidden Power, making Magnezone horribly predictable. It also faces competition from Eelecktross, for a slow Electric-type due to the eel's expansive movepool and a complete lack of weaknesses. However, Magnezone has the sheer power and bulk to make up for this, and is able to fulfill a very interesting niche as a reliable Gravity user.</p>
[SET]
name: Special Tank
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Ground
move 3: Thunder Wave / Signal Beam
move 4: Protect
item: Electric Gem / Sitrus Berry
nature: Modest
ability: Sturdy
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Since offensive coverage isn't Magnezone's strong suit, a slightly supportive set comes naturally to it. Magnezone is a reliable paralysis spreader with Thunder Wave, and is just fast enough to make good use of it itself. If you're not using Thunder Wave, Signal Beam is a suitable replacement, as it hits Psychic- and Grass-types harder than Magnezone's other moves. Thunderbolt is Magnezone's go-to Electric-type move, though with proper teammates, Discharge and Thunder are viable as well. Hidden Power Ice has good coverage with Magnezone's Electric-type STAB, and Hidden Power Ground hits Fire-types and opposing Electric-types. Protect is a given for the last slot, especially when using an Earthquake user alongside Magnezone. Item-wise, Electric Gem provides the necessary power for Thunderbolt to OHKO specially defensive Togekiss, whereas Sitrus Berry heals Magnezone enough to let it take a few more neutral hits.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Magnezone has a few more notable options for items and moves. Light Screen and Reflect are great support moves to use in the third slot, though they aren't as effective together because of the loss of Protect or Hidden Power that is caused in order to make room for dual screens. Magnezone is a reliable user of Gravity due to Sturdy, and can make use of its own Gravity by using Thunder. Air Balloon is an option if you're not using Gravity, though it announces itself and gives your opponent more incentive to break Magnezone's Sturdy. Magnezone can also function admirably under Trick Room, provided it has a Quiet nature and isn't using Thunder Wave.</p>
<p>Reuniclus enjoys an accurate Focus Blast to take on Tyranitar and other Dark-types, provided Magnezone is using Gravity, and can set up Trick Room for Magnezone. Magnezone also appreciates Slowbro as a Trick Room using partner, since it is able to use Ice Beam or its choice of Water-type STAB moves to beat Fire- and Ground-types. Grass-types are also good partners for Magnezone because of Magnezone's inability to severely damage Gastrodon, Swampert or Rhyperior. Amoonguss is a fine example, as it is able to abuse the lack of Sleep Clause and can draw away Fighting-type moves, though it shares a Fire-type weakness with Magnezone. Ludicolo has no trouble beating down Magnezone checks with its superb Grass- and Water-type STAB combination, and if you're using Magnezone in rain, you have the option of using a Thunder that never misses. Ironically, while being Magnezone's greatest enemies, Garchomp and Mamoswine can make good partners for it too. They both enjoy paralysis and Gravity support, and in Mamoswine's case, can smack Ground-types with a STAB Icicle Crash. Be wary about using Earthquake around Magnezone however; a Protect and Earthquake combination can be easy to predict. Latios is also a good partner, as it can destroy the likes of Hitmontop, and is generally faster than Garchomp.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Magnezone's movepool is comparable to a desert wasteland beyond the main options, but never fear, desert-dwellers! There are a few oases in Magnezone's movepool. Mirror Coat combined with Sturdy makes for a potent combination, but requires acute prediction and the right situation to be useful. Metal Sound is viable since switching is ill-advised most of the time, though the 85% accuracy really hurts its viability. Tri-Attack and Flash Cannon are basically the only other special moves Magnezone has, but they have decent neutral coverage. Flash Cannon still hits Ice- and Rock-types harder than Magnezone's other moves, most notably Abomasnow and Tyranitar. Magnezone can also set up Rain Dance, though it is outclassed by Politoed or Kingdra in doing so. Zap Cannon is best used in tandem with Gravity, a horseshoe and a four leaved clover because of its shaky accuracy even in Gravity, though the guaranteed paralysis is enough to consider it. Due to Sturdy, Magnezone can viably use multiple items such as Red Card and Leftovers. Red Card ejects Earthquake users as well as anything else that attacks Magnezone, and Leftovers protects the integrity of Sturdy from weak hits such as Fake Out and Rock Slide. If you're afraid of getting walled by Ferrothorn or Shedinja, Hidden Power Fire beats them both handily, though doesn't cover much besides them. Discharge, while not as effective as Zapdos's or Eelektross's Discharge because of their Ground immunities, can still prove effective as Magnezone's only spread move.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>If you want to counter Magnezone, simply look over your team and see if you have a Ground-type. If you don't have a Ground-type, simply equip one of your Pokemon with Earthquake. Magnezone can live through at least one Earthquake, however, so make sure you can handle a powerful Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Ice should Sturdy activate. Mamoswine is a fine example of a strong, Earthquake-wielding Ground-type, that can also hit through Sturdy if a hailstorm is in effect, courtesy of its comrade Abomasnow. Pokemon with Mold Breaker, such as Haxorus, can use Earthquake without fear of Sturdy thanks to its effect. Faster Fire-types can roast Magnezone alive, though again, Sturdy allows Magnezone to live through one Flamethrower, provided it does not get burned. Infernape is able to use Fake Out to "break" Sturdy and proceed to melt Magnezone with its choice of STAB Fire move or Close Combat. Under the effects of Trick Room, Magnezone becomes a little more troublesome. Hitmontop has a respectable Special Defense stat, as well as Mach Punch, though it won't enjoy too many Thunderbolts. Slower Earthquake users come in handy here, though if you don't have a slow Earthquake user, you'll either have to try to stall out Trick Room or hope Magnezone doesn't KO your Earthquake user before you can use Earthquake. Outside of its obvious weaknesses, Shedinja and Ferrothorn make excellent Magnezone checks, provided Magnezone isn't using Hidden Power Fire. Shedinja walls each and every common Magnezone attack thanks to Wonder Guard, and actually appreciates Thunder Wave since it cannot be put to sleep or poisoned while it's paralyzed. Ferrothorn can get hit by Magnezone's attacks, even though they'll be fairly weak. However, Ferrothorn can't do much to Magnezone in return, outside of Leech Seed or the uncommon Bulldoze.</p>